Working Memory And Mental Movies

Peter Carruthers is a philosopher with a particular interest in the philosophy of the mind. Recently he’s turned his attention to the nature and function of working memory in humans, writing a paper on the “Evolution of Working Memory“. He concludes that while working memory in humans is similar to working memory in primates and other animals, it seems to be used more intensively and more abstractly. In this interview with Scientific American, Carruthers emphasizes just how important it is for us to be able to consciously hold and manipulate information in order to strategise, reflect, and act. He likens working memory to a mental movie.